ONE-SESSION COGNITIVE TREATMENT OF DENTAL PHOBIA - PREPARING DENTAL PHOBICS FOR TREATMENT BY RESTRUCTURING NEGATIVE COGNITIONS

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of a si ngle session of cognitive restructuring in a sample of phobic dental p atients. Fifty-two patients were randomly assigned to one of three con ditions: cognitive restructuring (modification of negative cognitions) , provision of information (about oral health and dental treatment), a nd a waiting list control condition. Both interventions maximally last ed one hour. In comparison with the waiting list control condition and the information intervention condition, the cognitive intervention co ndition not only showed a large decrease in frequency and believabilit y of negative cognitions, but also exhibited a clear decline in dental trait anxiety. Analysis at a follow-up of one year demonstrated a fur ther, drastic reduction in dental anxiety in both intervention conditi ons, wherein the difference among these conditions was not maintained. It is concluded that it is possible to obtain substantial reductions of dental trait anxiety through a single session of cognitive restruct uring. Nevertheless, repeated exposure to the dental situation seems n ecessary for a further reduction of anxiety.